Martes, Oktubre 9, 2012

The Philippines is a rich source of courtship rituals. Although some of the traditional ways of courting are no longer observed, given the Western influences, there are still those that persist particularly in the rural areas.

Filipinos are very romantic when it comes to the affairs of the heart. Serenading was one of the most popular forms of courtship to show that a man is very serious with his intentions to a woman right up until the 1950s. A serenade would require the young man to sing a love song in front of the young lady's house. Normally, he was accompanied by his male friends who acted as back-up singers. The man himself or his friend played the instrument, usually a guitar, that provides the background music to his song.

They would have to wait until the young lady opened a window to listen. It would be up to her if she wanted to invite them in for some refreshment and to chat after the song. Even if they had been asked to come in, the suitor would not expect that he could have the chance of a private moment with his object of affection. It was highly likely that the parents would also be there to entertain the man and his friends.